“Solar energy,” “garbage islands” and “reusable water bottle” were among the fastest-rising search queries in 2011, Google has revealed.
Although none of the top ten fastest-rising global search queries were obviously green terms – the podium was occupied by YouTube pop star Rebecca Black, Facebook rival Google+ and the passing of Jackass star Ryan Dunn – Google says the green searches ranked highly, showing the growing influence of the environment on public consciousness. According to a video published by Google, popular questions posed in the past year concerned the recyclability of Styrofoam peanuts, proper disposal of paint, and the future of wind power.
And there was one energy-related item in the top ten: the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Here is a snapshot of some of the rankings from most popular green topics, with links to the results. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Most Popular Sustainable Topics
1. Sustainable Development
2. Sustainable Energy
3. Sustainable Agriculture
Most Popular Environmental Topics
1. How to Compost
2. What is Vegan
3. What Causes Earthquakes
Most Popular Rare Wild Animals
1. Red Panda
2. Ocelot
3. Tapir
Most Popular Alternative Energy Types
1. Solar
2. Nuclear Power
3. Wind Energy
Most Popular Hybrid and Alternative Vehicles
1. Prius
2. Chevy Volt
3. Smart Car
Most Popular Search for What People Are Reusing
1. Reusable Bags
2. Reusable Diapers
3. Reusable Water Bottles
Most Popular Waste Disposal Methods
1. Garbage Island
2. e waste recycling
3. Apple recycle
Now the company has created the Green Scrapbook, as a way for users to explore the green trends and share favorite findings with others. As users click around the site, they create their own collection that shows “what green meant to you this year,” Google said on its blog. Scrapbooks can be shared via URL or on Google+.
The past year was a big one in green for Google itself: the company revealed its energy consumption for the first time, announcing that it consumed 2,259,998 MWh in 2010. In a new section on the Google Green site, called The Big Picture, Google said that it generated 1.46 million metric tons of carbon dioxide last year.
Last month Google green czar Bill Weihl stepped down from his post, and the company announced that it is abandoning a project that aimed to make renewable energy cheaper than coal.
